Longevity genes?

[CuriousByNature]

Just wondering if any members here have a history of family members making it to their centenarian years? I'll probably be lucky to reach 80 since my grandparents all died in their 60s and 70s, and my parents only reached their early 70s. I knew a brother and sister once who made it to their mid-90s, and their mother apparently hit 108 before she died. In a skydiving accident. Just kidding. But in all seriousness - who are/were the oldest people you've known, and are/were you related to them?

[MscleLovr]

Not centenarians but my father and mother died aged 96 while my mother’s father only lasted to 90 (despite being a heavy smoker from the age of 14) and my father’s mother also died at 96. (The two other grandparents died in their late 70s)

 

Of course, I don’t see this as any guarantee of my longevity as my life is VERY different to theirs.

 

The oldest people I’ve known were aged 103, and both women were friends of my mother. I used to call on them socially after my mother’s death; both were lively and engaging in conversation.

[+ Charlie]

My paternal grandfather had six sisters; Aunt Annie lived to 101 and Aunt Clara to 103. My mother's cousin Grace lived to 100. My mother herself lived to 102. I knew all of them well, because I was an adult when they died, and enjoyed listening to them talk about life in the days before modern technology. Aunt Clara was born when Abe Lincoln was in the White House. My mother was born before the news about the Wright brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk had made the newspapers (radio still hadn't been invented then).

 

People always say, "Oh, with your genes you will live to 100." I certainly hope not!

[Daverwr]

My father just celebrated his 94th birthday yesterday. He has had the longest life in his family by far. We are shocked. We did have a family friend that lived to 106 and was perfect mentally before she died. I guess her longevity doesn’t pass to us even though I called her “aunt.”

[Daverwr]

My mother was born before the news about the Wright brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk had made the newspapers (radio still hadn't been invented then).

 

Isn’t it amazing that in one person’s lifetime, we went from the Wright Brothers to the Space Shuttle and beyond. My grandmother’s life was that way also.

[CuriousByNature]

I knew a lady who lived in 3 centuries. Born in 1899 and died in 2003. I'll need to live to be 130 to do the same....

[Luv2play]

My family tree is a mixed bag. My mother died at 74 and my father at 88. My three siblings and myself are all in our 70’s. So here’s hoping we emulate our father.

[+ WilliamM]

One of my aunts lived to100, but she was an aunt through marriage with my oldest uncle who worked on building the Panama Canal

 

I was surprised to learn my 5th teacher lived to100, and, in later years was a principal in several elementary school. Why? Because she was such a gifted teacher on her own.

[Guest]

My dads side has longevity. My moms side has the sultry Mediterranean looks. I got, I hope, a lucky combo. Will be fun to see how long I can pull of escorting in this possibly long life haha!

 

I recommend watching Peter Attia interviews or looking at his work. He’s delicious to looks at and wicked smart on info about longevity and wellness.

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

My maternal grandmother was two weeks shy of 99 when she passed. Her mother was 93, and one of her cousins passed just last month at 108.

 

My paternal grandmother missed being a centenarian by only two months.

 

I'm hoping that my sisters get to enjoy the longevity that appears to be in the female DNA.

[+ Charlie]

Longevity is hard to predict just from genes. My parents and grandparents all died natural deaths, but my father's life was shorter than either of his parent's lives, while my mother was much longer-lived than her parents--she lived almost twice as long as her father. The strange thing was that my father was always very healthy until the last six months of his life, while my mother was often sickly when she was young, yet she easily shrugged off colon cancer when she was 70 and breast cancer at 88. I have already lived longer than my father did, but I can't imagine living as long as my mother.

[+ sniper]

My family is all over the map longevity wise. Both parents died well befor 70. uncle about to turn 90. there was a great aunt who made it to 108.

[Guest]

My father passed away at 92. My mother died at 88 of a very rare and non-hereditary form of cancer. In my late 50s, I have a full head of hair, not one of them gray, and I don't have a wrinkle on my body. "Lindoro" said he thought I was in my 40s. I feel young. I'm enjoying myself, sex in particular, more than ever. My late step-father's first wife is now 101 and sharp as a tack. Still plays golf. Was playing tennis 3 years ago, and was skiing and sailboarding 5 years ago. I want to emulate her. Maybe hiking Runyon Canyon most days in my retirement will keep me young?

[+ WilliamM]

My father passed away at 92. My mother died at 88 of a very rare and non-hereditary form of cancer. In my late 50s, I have a full head of hair, not one of them gray, and I don't have a wrinkle on my body. "Lindoro" said he thought I was in my 40s. I feel young. I'm enjoying myself, sex in particular, more than ever. My late step-father's first wife is now 101 and sharp as a tack. Still plays golf. Was playing tennis 3 years ago, and was skiing and sailboarding 5 years ago. I want to emulate her. Maybe hiking Runyon Canyon most days in my retirement will keep me young?

My mother lived to age 91 and also never had any gray hair.